From bog to table: Cranberries a holiday must

Whether plans for your Thanksgiving dinner include roast turkey - or moose - it wouldn't be the same without cranberries. Cranberries, which grow on long vines in bogs, can be harvested dry, like those sold in bags, upper left, or wet-harvested after the bogs have been flooded, as depicted in this photo taken at the Great Brook Farm in Massachusetts by Jasmine Bahia. Other photo credits: upper right, Moose Tournedos with Kale Salad and Cowberry Compote, from "The Scandinavian Cookbook" by Trina Hahnemann, photography by Lars Ranek; lower right, Fresh Thyme-Rubbed Turkey with White Cranberry Baste, courtesy of Ocean Spray Cranberries.

In the fall, after attaining their deep crimson color, cranberries, which grow on long-running vines in soft, marshy areas known as “bogs,” are harvested. The vast majority of cranberries are wet-harvested, after the beds are flooded with water, for processing in a wide array of products such as juices, sauces, relishes and more.

But it’s dry harvested cranberries that we find in the supermarket this time of year, because that’s the way companies like Ocean Spray say is “the best way to get the absolute freshest berries.” Fresh cranberries will not be available for long, only through December, but they freeze well and will keep for up to a year, so be sure to buy an extra supply.

Cranberries are an absolute must for upcoming holiday meals, whether you plan to serve turkey, or live in a place where moose is easy to obtain. The recipe here for Moose Tournedos with Kale Salad and Cowberry (or cranberry) Compote comes from “The Scandinavian Cookbook” by Trina Hahnemann, who wrote, “If you can’t buy moose, venison is a good substitute.

The moose looks really good and so does the way it’s prepared, so I’m going to be sure a friend who lives in Alaska (and gets can all the moose she wants) sees this recipe because she “loves moose, if it is cooked the right way.”

The other recipes featured come from Ocean Spray, which was formed in 1930 by “three cranberry growers with a simple love of cranberries.” For more recipes using cranberries and for a fascinating look at how cranberries are harvested, visit www.oceanspray.com.

Further information on “The Scandinavian Cookbook,” may be found at www.andrewsmcmeel.com. Additional recipes from this title for Christmas Donuts and glögg are coming next week. You’ll not to want miss them, I promise.

Sue Ade is a syndicated food columnist with experience and interests in the culinary arts. She has lived and worked in the Lowcountry since 1985 and may be reached at kitchenade@yahoo.com or 843-683-0375.

Moose is eaten during the hunting season. The meat is dark red and can be used for various dishes such as hamburgers, stews and tournedos. Traditional cowberry compote is a perfect match. If you can’t buy moose, venison is a good substitute.

Salad

7 ounces kale, shredded

2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks

2 apples, peeled, cored and cubed

⅔ cup blanched almonds

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons walnut oil

Salt and pepper

Tournedos

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 moose tournedos

4 ounces chanterelles or other mushrooms

Cowberry compote, for serving (recipe follows)

Make the salad. Mix the kale, carrots and apples in a bowl.

Toast the almonds in a hot dry skillet, stirring constantly so they do not burn. When lightly browned and fragrant, add the honey and let it caramelize. Add 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar and simmer until the liquid has evaporated. Set the almonds aside to cool on a piece of parchment paper, then chop. Add the almonds to the kale salad with the walnut oil and remaining 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Season the salad with salt and pepper. Make the tournedos. In a skillet, heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and pan-fry the tournedos for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until firm to the touch. Meanwhile, clean the chanterelles with a dry brush. Remove the tournedos from the skillet and set aside to rest. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes. Serve with moose tournedos with chanterelles on top, and the salad and cowberry compote on the side. Serves 4.

Combine the berries and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, skimming the froth from the surface. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve, then boil for 8 minutes. Pour the hot compote into a large sterilized preserving jar (or some small jars). As soon as it is cold, it is ready to eat. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

1 (12-pound) turkey

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2½ to 3½ cups Ocean Spray White Cranberry Juice Drink (White cranberry juice is made from regular cranberries that have been harvested after the fruits are mature, but before they have attained their characteristic dark red color.)

¼ cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season turkey with salt and pepper and rub with thyme. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of the cranberry juice into the bottom of the pan. Combine ½ cup of the cranberry juice and butter in a small bowl and generously brush over turkey. Bake 20 minutes and brush with cranberry mixture. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Bake an additional 2½ to 3½ hours or until temperature reaches 175* degrees in thickest point, brushing with cranberry mixture every 30 minutes. Cover with foil if browning too quickly toward the end. Add remaining 1 cup cranberry juice during baking if pan becomes dry. Drippings can be used for making gravy. Makes 8 servings.

*Kitchen Ade note: According to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, a whole turkey is safe to eat when it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees as indicated by a food thermometer. To check temperature, insert thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. For a complete guide to cooking turkey safely, visit www.fsis.usda.gov.

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